Question

Which among the following can be lined with moist filter paper to catch insoluble solids?
A. Calorimeter
B. Geiger counter
C. Burette
D. Funnel
E. Bunsen burner

Answer 1

Hint: To be lined with a filter paper, the instrument should have a cavity to hold the filter paper and be able to handle the moisture caused by wetting of the filter paper. Also, it must have a passing through which the filtrate can go through. By looking at each of the instruments given, we can arrive at the suitable one.

Complete step by step answer:
Let us take a look at each of the instruments and understand what they are generally used for. Then we can decide on the most suitable one.
Calorimeters are devices used to measure the heat produced in a chemical reaction, and to calculate specific heat values. They are compartments in which reactions are allowed to happen, and thus, cannot be used for filtration.
Let us now look at the second instrument given:
Geiger counters are devices used to measure the intensity of radioactivity of a particular object or place. Therefore, they have no relation with filtration processes and cannot be used to catch insoluble solids.
Looking into the third device given, we see that:
A burette is a graduated long cylinder used to hold and measure volumes of chemicals. They are generally used for titrations and thus, are not related to filtration.
The fourth device is a funnel. Let us look at how a funnel functions:
A funnel is a cone shaped object used to pass through fluids into another container, particularly in cases where spillage is to be avoided. As they have conical cavities, filter papers can be wetted and held in position properly. And since they have a tube at the bottom, the filtrate can pass through easily after filtration, trapping the insoluble solids inside the filter paper. Thus, a funnel is an ideal choice to be lined with a filter paper.
Now that we have a possible answer, we just need to prove that the last device too is not used in filtration:
Bunsen burners are small adjustable gas burners commonly used in laboratories to supply heat. Hence, they too cannot be used in filtration.
Therefore, as the only instrument which can be used with filter papers to catch insoluble solids from the above is a funnel.

So, the correct answer is Option D.

Note: The materials used to make funnels vary widely, and can range from plastic to borosilicate glass to even aluminium, depending on the purpose. The funnels used in a lab are usually made of plastic and are transparent. Note that filtration is the process by which insoluble solids are removed from a solution.